Arsenal Vs Liverpool: It is time to unleash Nicolas Pepe

Arsenal club-record signing Nicolas Pepe has only enjoyed brief cameos so far this season. It might be time to unleash him against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.

It is never a wise move to play a player who is searching for match fitness in a big game. While you always want your best players on the pitch, of course, to have individuals who are not sharp in the team is often detrimental to the overall balance and mobility of the side.

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This where head coaches are made to make the big selection decisions. Do you throw in a better player who is not quite as match-ready? Or do you trust your reserves who might be sharper? It is not an easy decision to make, especially if those better players are new signings still looking to acclimatise to a new team, league and culture.

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So far this season, Arsenal head coach Unai Emery has taken it easy with club-record acquisition, Nicolas Pepe. However, in need of some attacking drive and impetus at the weekend, he turned to the £72 million man at half-time last weekend, more than willing to give him 45 minutes of action. The natural question to ask, then, is whether he is now ready to make a start, with a trip to Anfield against Liverpool looming. Emery answered it in his pre-match press conference:

"“I think his individual performances are progressively getting better. For Saturday, he is maybe ready to have more minutes. I am going to decide tomorrow, but really his progress has been positive and has been good for the team and for him. The most important piece of the adaptation is to help him to feel easy and be comfortable with us.”"

The news is trending that Pepe is line to start on Saturday, Reiss Nelson likely dropping to the bench and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shifting to the left flank to accomodate the left-footed flyer. And in his brief moments on the pitch thus far, it seems as though it is time for Arsenal to unleash their new attacking weapon.

In the 45 minutes he featured against Burnley, Pepe was wonderfully direct. His first thought was to drive with the ball, dribbling past defenders, committing them to challenges and looking to burst into the space vacated as a result. He showed his skill, nutmegging Ben Mee and spinning his way past would-be tacklers.

He should have had an assist but played a poor pass to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and he was always looking to shift the ball onto his left foot and shoot on goal. In a word, Pepe was dangerous, if a little short of the final product at times. And given his natural skill, his quality on the ball, and his goalscoring knack, unleashing him on an excellent Liverpool team might be a wise move.

Arsenal will need some attacking inspiration, an individual to create moments. So who better than a £72 million winger? It might just be time to unleash Nicolas Pepe.